Work feeding apparatus for sewing machines and the like



June 6, 1967 u. OBEFQRECHT 3,323,631

WORK FEEDING APPARATUS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 12, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. la

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A144; RA #1 Ju ne 6, 1967 u. OBERRECHT WORK FEEDING APPARATUS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 12, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 7b

INVENTOR. U4 RIC/r 085K REc/fl' A'ARL 16472.!

June 6, 1967 3,323,631

WORK FEEDING APPARATUS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE u. OBERRECHT 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 12, 1966 R. m E V W NA 194 PA 71/ A' 7-70 RA/E') June 6, 1967 u. OBERRECHT WORK FEEDING APPARATUS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 12, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

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WORK FEEDING APPARATUS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 12, 1966 7 sna s-sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ULR l6 0 a EQ/QECf/T June 6, 1967 U.OBERRECHT WORK FEEDING APPARATUS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 12, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig. 70

INVENTOR. UAR/c 05 FRREcA/r WORK FEEDING APPARATUS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 12, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 71 Fig. 77

INVENTOR. (/4 le/u 0354, 150

United States Patent 3,323,631 WGRK FEEDKNG APPARATUS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Ulrich Oberrecht, Niedermendig, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany, assignor to G. M. Pfaff A.G., Kaiserslautern, Pfalz, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed July 12, 1966, Ser. No. 564,615 Claims priority, application Germany, July 13, 1965, P 37,240 12 Claims. (Cl. 198-19) The present invention relates to work feeding apparatus, especially, though not limitatively, of the type for use in conjunction with automatic sewing machines for the feeding of workpieces to a sewing station, or other work processing device, by means of continuously operating conveying or feeding means.

An important object of the invention is the provision of continuously operated work feeding apparatus of this type which, while providing for the safe and unimpeded guidance of the workpieces, will enable the quick and ready mounting thereof, substantially without the removal or displacement of a mounting frame or the like work support and without interrupting the operation of the feeding or conveying means of the apparatus.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects, as well as novel objects thereof, will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred practical embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

FIGS. 1a and 1b are schematic fractional front and rear plan views collectively showing a complete work feeding system constructed and operated in accordance with the Principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken in line IIII of FIGS. 10 and lb;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line IIIIII of FIG. 1a;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an isometic view of a pair of endless guide rails forming part of FIGS. la and lb;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI of FIG. la;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line VII-VII of FIG. In;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of one of the pivoted bypass elements forming part of the rails shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line IX-IX of FIG. 1b;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view taken on line X-X of FIG. 1a; and

FIG. 11 is an electric wiring diagram of the apparatus shown by the preceding figures.

Like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention in accordance with its more general aspects involves the provision of work feeding apparatus comprising essentially one or more supports fitted with means to mount thereon a workpiece to be fed and a continuously operated driv ing member in the form of an endless chain driven byan electric motor and extending from a work loading station past or through a processing station to a work discharge station. According to the invention, the workpiece support or supports are releasably coupled with said drive chain or the like elongated endless driving member, to enable the support or supports to be decoupled at the work loading station for the mounting of a workpiece and to be re-coupled with said chain at a point ahead of the processing station, such as an automatic sewing 3,323,631 Patented June 6, 1967 machine. For the latter purpose, auxiliary driving means is provided according to the invention independent of said main driving chain or the like main driving member, to intermittently advance the workpieces or supports from said loading station towards said processing station at a speed substantially in excess of the speed of said main driving means.

The releasable coupling means comprises a pair of coupling elements mounted, respectively, upon the chain or main driving means and the work supports and adapted to effect coupling therebetween upon the coupling element of the driving means (chain, etc.) engaging and locking with the coupling element of the support or supports after the latters independent advance movement and overtaking of the associated coupling element of said chain. As a consequence, there may be provided a plurality of work supports each having its own coupling element adapted to cooperate with an associated coupling element carried by said chain or the like endless driving means, to thereby enable a continuous or uninterrupted feeding and processing of a number of workpieces, substantially without interruption of the main feeding or conveying operation.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, especially suitable for the sewing of fabric workpieces, in particular folded fabric cuts to be sewn into pillow cases or the like bag-like structures, the work supports consist advantageously of two pairs of parallel clamping rails forming a kind of tentering frame and adapted to hold or clamp the opposite edges of a workpiece, each pair of clamping rails being fitted with its own endless driving chain or the like endless driving means, to continuously feed the rail pairs from the loading station to the discharge station past the work processing (sewing) station, and back again to said loading station. In order to afford a ready and unimpeded movement of the pairs of clamping rails around the curved end sections of the associated endless guide rails conforming with the associated endless driving means or chains operated in synchronism, each pair of clamping rails is associated and cooperates with a pair of endless guide rails and is rotatively supported by a pair of carrier members each in frictional guiding relation with one of said guide rails. The latter are longitudinally displaced :in the feed direction by a distance equal to the distance between the supporting axes of said carrier members, in such a manner as to enable the pairs of clamping rails to be displaced in parallel from an upper position adjoining the upper parts of said guide rails to a lower position adjoining the lower parts of said rails, and vice versa, while said carrier members, one of which is coupled with the associated main driving means (chain, etc.), pass around the curved end sections of said guide rails, suitable bypass means being provided, in the form of spring-urged pivoted inserts, in said guide rails, to enable free passage of said members transverse to or across said rails, in the manner as will become further apparent as the description proceeds in reference to the drawings.

The advantage of a construction outlined in the foregoing is the fact that workpieces, such as fabric cuts for the production of pillow cases or the like, of relatively large dimension in the feed direction, may be transferred simply from the upper to the lower parts of the endless guide rails, and vice versa, while the carrier members of the clamping rails or supports move around the curved end sections of the guide rails during the forward feed and return movements of said clamping rails, respectively,

cooperation with suitable switch and control means, as shown and described in greater detail hereafter.

Although the invention will be described in the following with specific reference to a work feeding device for use in connection with automatic sewing machines, it will become evident that the feeding apparatus of the invention may be utilized with equal advantage in connection with other types of work processing devices through or past which a workpiece to be treated is passed continuously.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1a and ll) of the drawings, the numerals 1 each denote a pair of clamping rails forming spaced and parallel work-supporting elements each consisting, in the example shown, of a lower relatively stationary and an upper movable clamping rail 2 and 3, respectively. Each of the lower clamping rails 2 is rigidly connected to a vertical supporting part 4 (see also FIGS. 3 and 4) having a pair of lateral supporting arms or brackets 5 in which is freely rotatively mounted a shaft 6. The latter, being rigidly connected to the upper clamping rail 3 by way of two arms 7, is fitted approximately midway with a toothed segment 8 also rigidly connected thereto and adapted to cooperate with a vertically slidable rack member mounted in a vertical guide 9 affixed to part 4. The rack 10 is provided, above its toothed section, with a depression or notch 11 adapted to receive a spring-loaded ball 13 mounted in a bore 12 of part 4, whereby, with the ball engaging the depression 11, to hold the upper clamping rail 3 in its open position against the action of a spring 14 secured to the part 4, on the one hand, and to one of the arms 7, on the other hand.

While there are provided and shown two pairs of clamping rails 2, 3 forming a kind of tentering frame or work support 1, the operating means of only one of the supports, identified by the like reference numerals, will be dc. scribed in greater detail in the following.

The vertical parts 4 of each pair of clamping rails 1 are freely rotatively mounted upon the ends of a pair of bolts 15, 16 which are each secured to a carrier member 17, 18, respectively. The trailing carrier member 17, in respect to the forward or work feed direction, FIG. 4, of the clamping rails is fitted with three guide rollers 19 disposed at the corners of an inverted equilateral triangle and being freely rotatable upon supporting pins 20 fast on member 17. Rollers 19 in turn engage an endless guide rail 21, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, with the roller 19 disposed at the apex of the triangle engaging the lower face of the vertically disposed rail 21 and being supported in an oblong bore 22 of the member 17 and resiliently urged against the underface of the rail 21 by the action of a spring 23 for the purpose as will become further apparent as the description proceeds.

Each of the two guide rails 21 is connected, on the sides opposite to the associated clamping rails 2, 3 and at predetermined spaced points thereof, with substantially U-shaped supports 24 which are in turn secured to the frame of the feeding apparatus indicated at 25 in the drawing. Secured to the trailing carrier member 17, above the rail 21 and between the two upper rollers 19, is a pin or rod 26 the free end of which carries a freely rotatable coupling element or follower 27, FIGS. la and lb, being urged, by the action of a torsion spring 28 encircling the rod 26, in a downward direction, as viewed in FIG. 6, the angle of rotation of the follower 27 being limited by a pin 29 secured to the rod 26 and movable within an oblong slot 30 of the follower, as shown in FIG. la. The follower 27 embraces a further follower or coupling pin 32 secured to a continuously operated endless driving member or chain 31, to feed the clamping rails or work support 1 in the direction of the arrow. Follower 27 is designed to cooperate with a wedge-shaped stationary stop or abutment member 33 mounted upon the frame 25 and located at the left hand end or adjoining work-loading station of the feeding apparatus, FIG. 1a.

As a consequence, the abutment 33 causes the coupling pin 32 to be disengaged from the follower 27 upon the latter engaging the slanting surface 34, thereby decoupling the rails or work support 1 from the driving chain 31.

Similarly mounted upon the leading carrier member 18 of a pair of clamping rails 1 are guide rollers 19 journalled upon pins 35 and cooperating with a further endless guide rail 36 similar to and disposed in a vertical plane spaced from the guide rail 21, with the lower roller 19 at the apex of the triangle formed by the rollers being urged against the underface of rail 36 by the action of a spring 23, in a manner similar to the construction of trailing carrier member 17. Guide rail 36, being further away from or disposed laterally of the supporting rails 1 than guide rail 21, is displaced in the longitudinal and work feeding direction, indicated by the arrow, relative to the rail 21 by a distance equal to the spacing distance of the supporting axes of the rails 1, or bolts 15, 16, respectively. Further secured to the leading carrier member 18 above the upper guide rollers 19 is a pin or rod 37 which serves to guide the supporting rails 1 in the horizontal position at the ends of the guide rail 36 while moving in parallel from an upper horizontal position coincident with the upper main part of the rail 36 to a lower horizontal position coincident with the lower main part of said rail, in a manner described and further understood from the following. The guide rail 36 is connected, in a manner similar to the rail 21 and at the side opposite to the supporting or clamping rails 1, with U-shaped supports or brackets 24 which are in turn supported by the frame 25 of the feeding apparatus.

The two guide rails 21 and 36 are fitted, as more clearly shown by FIG. 5, with by-pass elements 38a, 38b and 380 in the form of spring-loaded inserts mounted within gaps of said rails and jointed at one end to rails and having opposite bevelled end surfaces 39, FIG. 8, resiliently engaging a mating bevelled surface of the rails by the action of flat springs 41 The function of the inserts 38 in allowing the carrier member 18 to pass through the end of the rail 21 and to enable the pins 26 and 37 to cross or traverse the rails will become more apparent from the following description in reference to the operation of the feeding device shown.

Both the upper and lower driving chains 31, FIGS. la and lb, synchronously operating the associated rails 1, are driven by a common electric motor 41 by way of transmission mechanism described in the following. Motor 41, FIG. 1a, drives, by Way of a sprocket 42, the lower driving chain 31, as viewed in FIGS. 1a and 1b, said chain being fitted with a number of spaced follower pins 32 corresponding to the number of clamping rails pairs or work supports 1 and cooperating with a counter sprocket 43 disposed at its right hand end or end opposite from the motor 41, sprocket 43 being freely rotatively mounted upon a hollow shaft 54 (see also FIG. 9). Shaft 54 is in turn freely rotatively mounted upon a bolt 44 secured to the frame 25, with the friction force between the bolt 44 and the shaft 54 being substantially in excess of the friction between the sprocket 43 and shaft 54. Mounted upon the shaft of the motor 41 and laterally of the sprocket 42 is a further sprocket 45 which drives, by way of an obliquely descending chain 46, a counter sprocket 48 mounted upon a cross-shaft 47 extending across the entire width of the feeding apparatus. Secured to the upper extreme end of the shaft 47, as viewed in FIGS. la and 1b, is a further sprocket 49 which drives, via an obliquely ascending chain 50, a counter sprocket 51 being freely rotatively supported upon a pin or bolt 52 fast on the frame 25. Sprocket 51 is n turn connected with a further driving sprocket 42 which serves to drive the upper chain 31. The latter passes over counter sprocket 43 also freely rotatively mounted upon a hollow shaft 54, in the same manner as the lower chain 31.

In order to guide or maintain the clamping rail pair 1 in horizontal position while passing around the right hand curved sections of the rails 21 and 36, both hollow shafts 54, FIG. 9, carry at their ends opposite to the frame 25 a guide or follower disk fitted, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2, with two diametrically opposed projections 56 adapted to cooperate with the pins 26 of the carrier member 17. Secured to the disk 55 is a sprocket 57 which drives, via a chain 58, a counter sprocket 59 disposed at the right hand end of the rail 36, as viewed in FIG. 1b. The counter sprocket 59, being journalled upon a pin 60 fast upon the frame 25 (see also FIG. 8), has a pitch diameter equal to the pitch diameter of the sprocket 57 and is connected with a follower or guide disk 61 which, in a manner similar to the disk 55, is fitted with a pair of projections 62. the latter having a starting position as shown in FIG. 2. and being adapted to cooperate with the rods or pins 37 of the carrier members 18, in the manner further described in the following.

In order, furthermore, to maintain the clamping rails 1 in horizontal position while passing around the left hand curved sections of the guide rails 21 and 36, there are provided a pair of further guide or follower disks 64 coaxial, respectively, with the shaft of the motor 41 and with the pin or shaft 52, FIGS. 1a and 6, and supported by pins 63 fast on frame 25. Disks 64 are provided, in a manner similar to the disks 55 and 61, with two projections or followers 65 and rigidly connected to sprockets 66. The latter drive, via a chain 67, a counter sprocket 68 the pitch diameter of which equals the pitch diam eter of the sprockets 66. Secured to the sprocket 68, supported by a bolt 69 fast on the frame 25, is a further follower or guide disk 70 which, as seen more clearly from FIGS. 2 and 7, is provided at two points of its periphery with a recess 71. Disposed within the recess 71 and extending over the entire width of the disks is a pin 72 fixed to the disk and upon which is journalled a follower pawl 73. The latter, the rotation of which is limited by the shape of the recess 71, is urged into the outward or radial direction by the action of a torsion spring 74 encircling the pin 72. Pawl 71 cooperations, in the manner described hereafter, with the rod or pin 37 of the carrier member 18, while the projections 65 of the follower disk 64 cooperate with the pins 26 of the carrier member 17.

Disposed upon the support for the workpiece at the input or loading station of the feeding apparatus is an overtake drive, FIG. 1a, the function of which is to ad Vance the fabric, or other workpiece to be operated on and supported by the clamping rails 1, to an extent to cause the followers 27 of each rai-l pair 1 to overtake the associated follower pins 32 of the chains 31. In the example shown, the overtake drive comprises an auxiliary electric motor75 driving, via a sprocket 76 an endless chain 77 which is passed over a pair of guide and reversing sprockets 78, 79 journalled upon the frame 25 and which carries a cross-beam 8-1, FIG. 3, disposed below the supporting table 80. Secured to the underface of the cross-beam 81 are a pair of guide rollers 82 engaging circular stationary guides or supports 83 mounted upon the frame 25. Disposed upon the upper face of the cross-beam 81 are a pair of laterally spaced arms or brackets 84 in each of which is rotative-ly mounted a follower 85. Each of said followers, the spacing distance between which equal the crosswise spacing between two carrier members 17 or 18, is fitted with an abutment element 86, whereby the followers 85 are maintained in vertical position by the action of a flat spring 87, in the manner shown in FIG. 10.

The following is a description of the operation of the work feeding apparatus as disclosed and described in the.

foregoing.

Let it be assumed that the motor 41 is connected to the power source RST, FIG. 11, whereby to drive both chains 31 in synchronism by the sprockets 42, while the clamping rail pairs 1 of FIG. 1a are in their open position by the balls 13 engaging the recesses 11 of the racks 10, to hold the upper rails 3 in retracted or open position relative to the lower rails 2. The carrier members 17 of each clamping rail pair 1 are coupled with the coupling pins 32 of the chains 31 via the rods 26 and the followers 27, to synchronously feed the two clamping rail pairs 1 in the direction of the arrow shown in the drawing next to chains 31. As soon as the followers 27, being maintained in operative engagement with the pins 32 by the springs 28, engage the stationary abutments 33, they are forced in the upward direction by the bevelled surfaces 34 of said abutments against the action of the springs 28, in such a manner as to disengage the clamping rail pairs 1 from the continuously moving chains 31, to enable an attendant to mount a workpiece, such as a fabric, by placing its ends between the now stationary rail pairs 1, whereupon the rails 2 and 3 of each pair may be closed by depression of the racks 10 and release of the springs 14, thereby to firmly clamp the opposite sides of the workpiece between the rail pairs 1.

During the closing of the rail pairs 1, the auxiliary electric motor 75 is energized, via a relay d1, by a contact or switch [21, FIG. 11, to set into motion the auxi-liary chain 77. As a consequence, the cross-beam 81 is displaced in the feed direction or direction of the arrows from its starting position as shown in the drawing, to thereby cause the pawls 85 to engage the edges of the carrier members 17 (see FIG. 3) and to displace the two clamping rail pairs 1 together with the workpiece in the direction of the arrows. The translatory speed of this displacement of the workpiece is substantially in excess of the speed of the main driving chains 31, whereby to cause the rail pairs 1 to overtake the coordinated follower pins 32 of the chains which, in the meantime have advanced beyond the abutments 33. After the followers 27 have advanced beyond the pins 32 of the chains 31, the cross-beam 81 actuates a further switch d2, FIG. 11, whereby to reverse the rotation of the: motor 75 via a relay d2 and to return the beam 81 to its starting position. Upon arrival of the beam in the latter position, a further switch 173 acts to disconnect and again reverse the motor 75 which will thus be ready for the carrying out of afollowing overtake operation.

After the coupling pins 32 of the continuously moving chains 31 have again caught up with the followers 27 of the clamping rail pairs 1, the followers 27 are raised by the pins 32 against the action of the springs 28, whereby to restore operative driving engagement with the chains 31 by snap action. Subsequently, the chains 31 continue to feed the clamping rails 1 together with the workpiece in the direction of the arrows, during which movement the carrier members 17 are guided by the associated guide rails 21 and the carrier members 18- are guided by their respective guide rails 36 via the rollers 19, in a manner described and understood from the foregoing.

In the example shown, the workpiece, being in the form of a folded fabric cut and clamped by the rails 1 is passed below the needles of a pair of sewing machines disposed at the opposite sides of the feeding path as indicated by dot-dash lines in FIG. 16, to sew a pair of lateral or edge seams in the production of pillow cases or the like bag-like structures. The sewing machines may be controlled in a conventional manner, such as by the aid of photocells and light bars, in that for instance a light bar is interrupted or uncovered, respectively, upon the edge of the fabric coinciding with or receding from needles, additional auxiliary operations, like thread cutting, raising and lowering of the presser foots, etc., also being advantageously carried out automatically by means of well-known control devices.

Upon the leading carrier members 18 reaching, during the sewing of the fabric or other processing operation, the right hand curved ends of the guide rails 21, as viewed in FIG. 1b, the pins 35 supporting the lower .guide rollers 19 of each said carrier members engage the arcuate upper bypass element 38a of the rails 21 (see also FIGS. 2 and 3), whereby to deflect said elements outwardly about their pivot axes against the action of the springs 40, in such a manner as to briefly interrupt the rails 21 at the respective points and to allow the pins 35 to pass through the gaps or interrupted segments of the rails, whereupon the inserts 38a are returned to their closed position by the action of said springs after the pins 35 have passed outside and beyond the ends of the rails 21.

After the clamping rail pairs 1 have reached the position as shown in FIG. lb, the racks are operated in the downward direction by means of a further switch b4 and solenoid s1, FIG. 11, whereby to cause the balls 13 to engage the depressions 11 of the racks and to arrest the rails 3 in the open position. The workpiece, such as a pillow case in the referred to example, may then be removed or discharged to a supporting plate 88, indicated in dotted lines, which has been previously moved int-o position, for further processing or reversal in the case of a pillow case or the like bag-like structure.

The pairs of clamping rails 1 are now displaced downwardly while remaining in the horizontal position by virtue of their rotative suspension by the bolts 15 and 16, while the carrier members 17, 18 pass around the curved end sections of the rails 21 and 36, FIG. 2. During this operation, the rods 26 of each member 17 carrying the followers 27 engage the upper projection 56 of the guide disks 55, whereby the latter are driven by said rods during the latters downward movement. The rotation of the disks 55 is in turn transmitted to the disks 61 via the chains 58, whereby to rotate disks 61 synchronously with the disks 55. During this rotation, the rod 37 of each carrier member 18 is engaged by a projection 62 of disks 61, whereby the carrier members 18 in passing around the curved end sections of the guide rail 36 are maintained in positive synchronous driving relation with the carrier members 17 and the clamping rail pairs 1 are displaced horizontally from an upper position adjoining the upper parts of the rails to a lower position adjoining the lower parts of the rails. During this operation, each of the carrier members 17, 18, while passing around the curved end sections of the rails 21, 36, performs a rotation by virtue of the resilient engagement of the single inner guide rollers 19 with the rails as described hereinabove, whereby in turn the followers 27 .are maintained in effective coupling engagement with the coupling pins 32 of the chains 31 and the carrier members 17, 18 are rotated by angles of 180 relative to their original position during passage around the ends of the guide rails 21, 36. As a consequence, the single rollers 19 engaging the underside of the rails 21, 36 while passing over the upper parts of the rails now engage the upper side of the rails while passing over the lower rail parts. At the same time, the two rollers engaging the upper side of the rails while passing over the upper parts of the rails now engage the underside in passing over the lower rail parts. Rotation of the carrier members 17, 18 in turn entails a rotation of the followers 27, whereby to maintain the latter in operative engagement with the coupling pins 32 of the chains 31 while moving around the rails 21, 36.

During the passage of the carrier members 17 around the right hand curved sections of the rails 21, the pins 26, FIG. 2, engage the bypass elements 38b disposed near the upper right hand ends of the rails 36, whereby to deflect said elements against the action of springs 40, thus briefly interrupting the rails and enabling the unimpeded passage of the pins during passage of the members 17, 18 around the curved ends of the rails 21, 36. In a similar manner, the pins 26 of the carrier members 17 engage, while passing around the right hand ends of the guide rails, the lower bypass elements 38b being deflected in the downward direction, to thereby allow 8 the pins to pass and completely clear the respective rails, 56.

Shortly after the starting of the return movement of the clamping rail pairs 1, that is, opposite to the direction of the arrows, the carrier member 18 of each pair, being guided in the manner described by the lower part of the rail 36 reaches the right hand end of the guide rail 21, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5, associated with the carrier member 17. As a consequence, the upper pin 35 now engages and operates the lower segmental bypass element 38a of the rail 21, to afford unimpeded upward passage or rotation of the member 18.

The clamping rail pairs 1, still being in coupling connection with the chains 31, are then moved further to the left, being guided by the lower parts of the rails 21, 36, whereby the pins 26 of the carrier members 17 at first engage the lower pawls 73 of the follower disks 70. As a consequence, the latter will be deflected towards the disk 70 against the force of the spring 74 and released upon the members 17 continuing their return movement. After the pin 26 of the carrier member 17 reaches the projection 65 of the follower disks 64, FIG. 2, the rod 37 of the carrier member 18 deflects the pawls 73 towards the disk 70, whereby to result in the engagement of the rod with said pawls, as indicated in dot-dashed line in the drawing, FIG. 7. During the continued movement of the clamping rail pair 1, the pin 26 engaging the lower projection 65 of the follower disk rotates the latter during the passage of the member 17 around the left hand curved end section of the rail 21. This rotation of disks 64 is transmitted to the disks 78 via the chains 67 by the pawls 73 driving the rods 37 of the carrier members 18, whereby to enable both clamping rail pairs 1 to be displaced horizontally from a position adjoining the lower parts to a position adjoining the upper parts of the rails 21, 36, in a manner readily understood from the foregoing.

During the latter displacement, the members 17, 18 are again rotated in the manner described hereinbefore so as to assume, upon reaching the upper parts of the rails 21, 36, the initial or starting position, as shown in FIG. la. After the members 17, 18 have thus arrived upon the upper parts of the rails 21, 26, that is, upon assuming the position shown at the left of FIG. 2, the rods 26, 37 are disengaged from the projections 65 and pawls 73, respectively, whereby the follower disks 64, 78 have been rotated through angles of to the starting position so as to be ready for the guidance of the neXt following clamping rail pair in the manner described. During pas sage around the left hand curved end sections of the rails 36, FIGS. 2 and 5, it is necessary, due to the longitudinal displacement of the rails 21, 36, to enable the pins 35 disposed at the base corners of the roller triangle to traverse both the lower and upper parts of the guide rail 21. For this purpose, the latter is fitted with upper and lower bypass elements 38c both of which are operated by the pins 35 of the member 18 against the action of the springs 40, in such a manner as to briefly interrupt the rails 21 and to allow free passage of both the pins 35 and 37. The followers 27, upon reaching the stationary abutments 33, again raised by engagement with the bevelled surfaces 34, whereby to disengage the pins 32 from the chains 31 and to arrest the clamping rails for work support for a following loading operation, in the manner described hereinbefore.

In FIG. 11 the additional relay contacts :11 and d2 act as safety means to mutually interlock the respective operating circuits, in a manner well-known.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in reference to a specific illustrative feeding apparatus. It will be evident, however, that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent parts or elements for those shown herein for illustration, may be made without departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

I claim:

1. Work feeding apparatus of the type described com prising in combination:

(1) a pair of oblong parallel and horizontally disposed supporting elements adapted to hold the opposite end of a workpiece therebetween,

(2) means to continuously feed each of said elements horizontally and in unison from a work-loading first station past a work-processing station to a workdischarging second station and back to said first station, each of said feeding means comprising (a) a pair of carrier members relatively rotatively supporting the opposite ends of an associated supporting element,

(b) a pair of endless guide rails having spaced and parallel upper and lower main portions connected by curved end portions and being parallel to said elements and disposed in vertical planes parallel to one another,

(c) said rails extending from said first station to said second station and being longitudinally displaced in the feed direction by a distance equal to the spacing distance between the supporting axes of said elements,

(d) means slidably connecting each pair of upper and lower faces of said rails with one of said carrier members,

(e) an endless continuously driving member disposed in a vertical plane parallel to and conforming with said rails,

(f) coupling means operatively connecting one of said carrier members with said driving member, and

(g) spring-loaded pivoted inserts in said guide rails,

(3) whereby, with both pairs of sup-porting elements connected to identical feeding and driving means and with the driving means for the carrier members of both pairs of said elements operated in synchronism, to allow of said carrier members to move through an endless path along and around said rails, and to allow said supporting elements to move longitudinally in the direction of the main portions of the rails and to be displaced in parallel from an upper position coincident with the upper rail portions to a lower position coincident with the lower rail portions, and vice versa, while said carrier members move around the curved end portions of said rails.

2. In work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said slidable connecting means are each comprised of a first friction roller engaging the inner face and a pair of further friction rollers forming an equilateral triangle with said first roller and engaging the outer face of the associated rails, said rollers being rotatively supported by the associated carrier members, and means to resiliently urge said first rollers against the inner faces of their respective guide rail.

3. In work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said driving members being comprised of a pair of endless chains, and a common driving motor with means to drive said chains in synchronism.

4. In work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said coupling means comprising cooperating coupling elements upon said driving member and the associated carrier member, respectively, adapted to effect coupling between said elements upon the coupling element of the carrier member approaching and engaging the coupling element of the carrier member, stationary abutment means disposed at a predetermined position and cooperating with said coupling means, to disengage said coupling means upon the associated carrier members and worksupporting elements entering said work-loading station, to arrest the supporting elements for the loading of a workpiece, and further drive means independent of said first driving member, to feed said elements and the workpiece supported thereby in the feed direction to a predetermined point ahead of said work-processing station and at a speed in excess of the speed of the first driving members.

5. In work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 4, said further drive means comprising a further endless driving member, an electric motor with means to drive said member, and abutment means carried by said further driving member and adapted to engage a carrier member of said supporting elements in the loading position, to advance the same to said predetermined point towards the work-processing station by said motor.

6. In Work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 5, including means to automatically start said motor upon the mounting of a work-piece upon the supporting elements, and to reverse and return said motor to its starting position upon the supporting elements reaching said predetermined point.

7. In work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide rails adjoining a pair of carrier members are disposed with the rail farthest from said members being advanced, in the traveling direction of the members, relative to the rail closest to said members, the leading carrier member being slidably connected With said first-mentioned rail and the trailing carrier member being slidably connected with said last-mentioned rail, and said coupling means being disposed between said trailing carrier member and the associated driving memher.

8. In work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 7, including rotatively mounted disk-shaped guide means at the opposite ends of said rails, to engage and guide the non-driven carrier members around the associated curved end section of the rails, and means to synchronously drive said guide means by the associated driven carrier members while passing around the associated curved end sections of the rails.

9. Work feeding apparatus of the type described comprising in combination:

(1) a support with means to mount a workpiece there- (2) an endless continuously operated driving member,

(3) releasable coupling means operably connecting said support with said member, to feed said support from a work-loading first station past a work-processing station to a work-discharging second station and back to said first station,

(4-) said coupling means comprising cooperating coupling elements upon said driving member and said support, respectively, adapted to effect coupling between said elements upon the coupling element of said driving member approaching and engaging the coupling element of said support,

(5) stationary abutment means disposed at a pr determined position and cooperating with said coupling means, to disengage said coupling means upon said support entering said work-loading station, to arrest said support for the mounting of a workpiece, and

(6) further drive means independent of said first driving member, to feed said support and the workpiece carried thereby at a speed in excess of the speed of said first driving member to a point leading the coupling element of said driving member,

(7) thereby to effect re-coupling with the coupling element of said support prior to said support entering said processing station.

10. In work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 9, said first driving member being comprised of a first endless driving chain continuously driven by a first electric motor around sprockets disposed at the ends of said chain, and said further drive means being comprised of a second endless driving chain and a second electric motor to 11 drive the same, abutment means carried by said second driving chain adapted to engage said support in the workloading position, and means to reverse and return said second motor to its starting position upon said support reaching a position ahead of said processing station.

11. In Work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim it), including releasable clamping means holding said Workpiece upon said support, and means to automatically start said second motor by the closing of said clamping means.

12. In Work feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 9, including a plurality of identical Work supports in relative spaced relation and connectable to different points 12 to said driving member by separate releasable coupling means controlled by said abutment means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,494 1/1944 Lubahn 198158 X 2,390,455 12/1945 Nalbach 198138 2,847,132 8/1958 Wittenberjer 198-138 X 3,180,293 4/1965 Cash 112-l18 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

M. L. AJEMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. WORK FEEDING APPARATUS OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (1) A PAIR OF OBLONG PARALLEL AND HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SUPPORTING ELEMENTS ADAPTED TO HOLD THE OPPOSITE END OF A WORKPIECE THEREBETWEEN, (2) MEANS TO CONTINUOUSLY FEED EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS HORIZONTALLY AND IN UNISON FROM A WORK-LOADING FIRST STATION PAST A WORK-PROCESSING STATION TO A WORKDISCHARGING SECOND STATION AND BACK TO SAID FIRST STATION, EACH OF SAID FEEDING MEANS COMPRISING (A) A PAIR OF CARRIER MEMBERS RELATIVELY ROTATIVELY SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF AN ASSOCIATED SUPPORTING ELEMENT, (B) A PAIR OF ENDLESS GUIDE RAILS HAVING SPACED AND PARALLEL UPPER AND LOWER MAIN PORTIONS CONNECTED BY CURVED END PORTIONS AND BEING PARALLEL TO SAID ELEMENTS AND DISPOSED IN VERTICAL PLANES PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER, (C) SAID RAILS EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST STATION TO SAID SECOND STATION AND BEING LONGITUDINALLY DISPLACED IN THE FEED DIRECTION BY A DISTANCE EQUAL TO THE SPACING DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SUPPORTING AXES OF SAID ELEMENTS, (D) MEANS SLIDABLY CONNECTING EACH PAIR OF UPPER AND LOWER FACES OF SAID RAILS WITH ONE OF SAID CARRIER MEMBERS, (E) AN ENDLESS CONTINUOUSLY DRIVING MEMBER DISPOSED IN A VERTICAL PLANE PARALLEL TO AND CONFORMING WITH SAID RAILS, (F) COUPLING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING ONE OF SAID CARRIER MEMBERS WITH SAID DRIVING MEMBER, AND (G) SPRING-LOADED PIVOTED INSERTS IN SAID GUIDE RAILS, (3) WHEREBY, WITH BOTH PAIRS OF SUPPORTING ELEMENTS CONNECTED TO IDENTICAL FEEDING AND DRIVING MEANS AND WITH THE DRIVING MEANS FOR THE CARRIER MEMBERS OF BOTH PAIRS OF SAID ELEMENTS OPERATED IN SYNCHRONISM, TO ALLOW OF SAID CARRIER MEMBERS TO MOVE THROUGH AN ENDLESS PATH ALONG AND AROUND SAID RAILS, AND TO ALLOW SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENTS TO MOVE LONGITUDINALLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE MAIN PORTIONS OF THE RAILS AND TO BE DISPLACED IN PARALLEL FROM AN UPPER POSITION COINCIDENT WITH THE UPPER RAIL PORTIONS TO A LOWER POSITION COINCIDENT WITH THE LOWER RAIL PORTIONS, AND VICE VERSA, WHILE SAID CARRIER MEMBERS MOVE AROUND THE CURVED END PORTIONS OF SAID RAILS. 